NBC reportedly aired an election ad for former President Donald Trump on Sunday night after the network had been criticized for televising Vice President Kamala Harris' appearance on "Saturday Night Live."
The network ran the Trump ad near the end of the NASCAR's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway and during coverage of the Minnesota Vikings-Indianapolis Colts game.
Harris appeared on 'SNL' for 90 seconds Saturday night. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules dictate that NBC would need to give other presidential campaigns equal time if it's requested.
It was not clear whether the Trump camp or NBC suggested the Republican candidate's ads run on Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Update: NBC stations ARE providing Trump with equal time, per the FCC's regulations, in the wake of the Harris cameo on 'SNL' last night. A direct-to-camera appeal from Trump to 'go and vote' aired during this evening's NASCAR post-race show," CNN's Brian Stelter posted Sunday night on X.
Earlier Sunday, the senior Republican FCC commissioner accused NBC of evading the agency's "equal time" requirements by featuring Harris in her SNL debut just days before the election.
"This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule," Brendan Carr posted on X.
"The purpose of the rule is to avoid exactly this type of biased and partisan conduct — a licensed broadcaster using the public airwaves to exert its influence for one candidate on the eve of an election."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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